A rare QPR scorer as they double up on Bolton

QPR made light of an injury crisis to sink Bolton for the second time this season.

The first scorer is all too familiar to Rangers fans - the second last scored more than three years ago.

Charlie Austin headed Rs into the lead, and Karl Henry’s collector’s piece was a 20-yard peach to make sure.

It might have been a different story had Craig Davies’s first-half rocket hit the underside of the bar and in for Bolton – rather than to safety for Rangers.

In fact there was a nervy last five minutes after Jay Spearing did half the deficit.

But in truth a side shorn of a player after just 10 seconds only threatened when it was too late.

In the very first move of the game Austin clashed in mid air with Tim Ream.

But it was another four minutes before the Bolton defender groggily staggered off between two physios to be replaced by Hayden White.

Armand Traore back in his accustomed left-back role was then mugged by Mark Davies on the byline to set up a great chance for Darren Pratley in the middle.

Fortunately, Benoit Assou-Ekotto was there to get in a great block when it looked odds-on for 0-1.

The one person Rangers didn’t want to lose went down clutching his left shoulder three minutes later.

Austin is made of strong stuff, but the bandages on his shoulder and torso would have done justice to an Egyptian mummy as he soldiered on.

Davies had been denied once already, but his power drive from 25 yards left Rob Green transfixed as it smacked the bar and bounced to safety.

Austin’s goal owed as much to Matt Phillips as anyone else. After the Hoops midfield combined to poach the ball, the winger was fed on the right and shaped to shoot.

Instead, he cleverly chipped to the back post where Rs leading scorer headed down and back across the keeper.

Tom Carroll was inches from making it 2-0 with a sidefoot that stretched Lonergan down to his left in seven minutes added time.

Henry’s goal was out of the blue five minutes into the second half.

The ball was only partially cleared from a corner, and when it landed at the midfielder’s foot he half-volleyed an arrow past a posse of players.

Bolton showed there were still two teams on the pitch when Mohamed Kamara brought the best out of Green with a save to his left.

Second later, the keeper stuck up an arm to deny Chung Yong-Lee as he cut in from the left. If anything, Wanderers finished the stronger and proved it when Spearing fired low with the hint of a deflection.

One goal decided it at The Reebok in warm August. It was cold comfort again for Bolton at Loftus Road.